


Love is Hard to Say

by DaveHarley (NedandChuck)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Platonic Love, henrys really big on telling people he loves them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-03-30 01:15:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3917737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NedandChuck/pseuds/DaveHarley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma's true loves tell each other they love one another before Emma gets to tell Killian.</p><p>Serious Captain Cobra ahoy, because Henry and Killian are the cutest best bros (especially when Charming is there)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love is Hard to Say

“Alright, I’ll see you. Love you,”

The words were out of Killian’s mouth before he could stop them, and his eyes widened in shock, and he bit his lip to stop anything else from escaping.

Henry blinked in surprise, but his wordlessness only lasted a second before he broke out into a sunshiney grin. “Love you, too, bye Hook!”

And that was how they started.

 

 

**XxX**

 

 

Emma grabbed a dish from Henry and dried it off, handing it to Killian to stack with the others.

“Can you believe we fought pirates??” Henry exclaimed in wonder, waving his arms to show his excitement, throwing soapy water everywhere. “Real, actual pirates!”

“Hey, mate,” Killian gave him an offended look. “I’m a real, actual pirate.”

“Yeah, but you don’t count,” Henry scoffed, and Emma laughed out loud. Off Hook’s pained expression, he stammered, “I mean, I see you every day! These were cool pirates.”

“Henry,” Emma smothered a laugh as Killian’s offense grew, “You should stop talking.”

“I feel like I should leave,” he pressed his prosthetic against his heart and motioned towards the door with his hand. “To spare my feelings.”

“Aww,” the Swans chorused, giving the same sad pout, but they escorted him to the door anyways, taking in the late hour.

Killian tipped an imaginary hat to the two of them. “It was nice of you to have me over, Swan, little Swan.”

“Mister Jones,” Emma said with an equally serious expression. “It was nice having you. Get home safe.”

“Yeah, don’t crash into anyone,” Henry added, with a look that implied that he was thinking about the time Killian got distracted and almost drove his car into Charming. (Henry hadn’t let it go for a month.)

“Aye, thanks, Henry.” He slipped into his leather jacket and nodded. Without thinking, he continued, “Thank you again, love you, goodbye.”

“What?” he looked up to see Emma staring at him with wide, terrified eyes. “You, wh-… what?”

Killian tilted his head and furrowed his brow, “I was talking to Henry.” He gave her a lopsided grin and kissed her cheek. “See you around, Swan.”

“Love you, too, Killian!” Henry called after him, mostly to see the bewildered look on his mom’s face as she looked from the pirate to her son.

 

 

**XxX**

 

 

“Look out!” Henry shouted, and Emma dove out of the way of an arrow. Mulan looked apologetic and shoved a hun into the portal back to the Enchanted Forest. Henry dodged an attack and ran towards the portal, veering right as the man rushed towards him.

Emma shot at the feet of the last remaining villain, who jumped out of the way and fell backwards into the portal. Mulan bowed in thanks quickly, “Your help is very much appreciated, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date.” 

“See you, Mulan!” Henry called after her, waving after her. “It’s nice that her, Phillip, and Aurora worked everything out.”

“Yeah, it sure is, kiddo.” She opened the door to her cruiser and slid in, waiting to start the car until Henry clambered in the passenger seat. “Hey, do you mind calling Dad or Killian and telling them we took care of everything?”

“Uh-huh,” Henry took her phone from the console and dialed a number. “Hey, Hook? Yeah, we got ‘em back to the Enchanted Forest … I know, right? Mulan was awesome … Obviously Mom was, too … And me, I took care of like, two of them on my own … Alright, see you at Granny’s … Love you, bye!”

Emma huffed, and Henry turned to her. “What?”

“It’s nothing, just,” She took her eyes off the road for a second to scrutinize her son, before squinting back at the road. “You told my boyfriend you love him before I did. That’s gotta be weird, right? Kids aren’t supposed to like their parents’ significant others.”

“You don’t want me to like Hook?” Henry asked with an amused smile. His mom scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Of course I want you to like him, it’s just… I dunno, it’s kinda weird, kiddo.”

“Mom, trust me, I know it’s weird. But I say it to Grandpa and Grandma all the time, and even Belle sometimes! Once Will, but he cried, and Belle told me I had to wait until he was more prepared to say anything again.”

Emma laughed. “I know, Henry, and it’s very sweet that you’re so expressive about it, I just feel a little left out.”

“I love you, too, mom,” Henry said seriously, giggling when Emma pushed at his shoulder.

“I know that, I mean I don’t know how to say that kind of thing. It’s hard for me, and awkward.” 

Henry paused for a long moment, taking it in. “Do you love Hook?”

Emma stammered, “I, um, I don’t know! You know I have… walls or whatever. I think I could love him, but I don’t know if I do yet. It doesn’t come as easily to me.” 

“Take your time, mom,” Henry said gently. “I promise he’ll be here when you’re ready, as long as you’ll let him.”

The Sheriff smiled over at her son and pulled into a spot across the street from the diner. “Thanks, kid.”

 

 

**XxX**

 

 

When Emma finally said it - properly, and under no threat of death - she felt oddly relieved. Killian’s smile had been bright, and she would have sworn he had tears in his eyes (and carried the fact to her grave, because while teasing her pirate was her favorite pastime, there are some things a girlfriend never tells).

Henry’s smile might have been even more blinding than Killian’s when he heard her say it casually for the first time. She had long since gotten used to saying the words to her loved ones casually, and Hook might have been the last to hear them with no kind of terrifying prompter pushing the words from her lips.

She still couldn’t say them as often as her son, or with as much intensity as Killian managed every time, but she felt proud that she could say them, ending phone calls, or visits with them, smilingly whispering them as a greeting when he brought coffee and donuts to the station for breakfast, or sometimes, muttering them when she woke up to his arms around her, sunshine filtering through the windows to reflect off his eyes.

And Emma credited a large part of her new bravery to her son, who was the first person she was ever, ever able to casually tell, “I love you.”

 

 

**(END?)**

**Author's Note:**

> I needed this after the season finale... Seriously, wtf...  
> (PS send me prompts @ piemakingdeadwaking.tumblr.com/ask or in the comments !!)


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